It was seen as a great opportunity for the Foreign Secretary to make a mark on the international scene ahead of a possible Tory leadership campaign to replace Theresa May.
And on his six-day visit to five African nations Jeremy Hunt has frequently unleashed his secret weapon - his wife Chinese Lucia.
Mrs Hunt has been front and centre as her husband, seen as a strong unity candidate to replace the Prime Minister when she stands down, has travelled across the continent.
The official tour, which is taking in Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Kenya is ostensibly to promote British interests and Mr Hunt has spoken strongly on issues including press freedom and security co-operation.
But with his wife and the mother of three children by his side he has been carving out a strong personal profile at a time when it may come in most useful.
Key to this has been Mrs Hunt, born Lucia Guo in Xian, who met the ambitious politician through his education publishing business Hotcourses, which he later sold for £14million.
She has seemed to fully embrace the photo opportunities on offer.
Today she enjoyed stroking a tortoise at the British Ambassador's residence in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mrs Hunt glaces at the Foreign Secretary as they board his plane in Accra, Ghana, bound for Nigeria on Tuesday
Mrs Hunt joined her husband today in planting a tree at the British embassy in Ethiopia in memory of the victims of the Ethiopian Airlines disaster in March
Mr and Mrs Hunt aboard a military vessel off the Senegalese capital Dakar in Monday, after he donned a helmet and life jacket to take control of a military speedboat
Today she enjoyed stroking a tortoise at the British Ambassador's residence in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
She and her husband also planted trees at the British embassy in Ethiopia, alongside British ambassador Alastair McPhail, in memory of the victims of the Ethiopian Airlines disaster in March.
The Foreign Secretary said he was 'devastated' that nine Britons were among the 157 people killed in the crash.
Mr Hunt met Lucia at an
